TRIBUTE ABDUL - Perdana Library

TRIBUTE TO TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN
would place him among the intelligently. His aims are to spread
peace, good-will and plenty. To him, politics is a business
of practical experience, not of theoretical ideas. He is the
apotheosis of the ordinary man.
His rise to fame and power was unsought and greatness was
thrust upon him. Ten years ago the leadership of a somewhat distraught
United Malay National Organisation fell vacant and rather
reluctantly he took it over. The United Malay National Organisation
was re-organised and re-inspired. In 1952 it joined with the
Malayan Chinese Association and the Malayan Indian Congress to
form the Alliance Party and won handsomely the first Municipal
election in Kuala Lumpur. In 1957 the Alliance won Malaya's
first genera! election with an almost complete capture of the seats.
had much serious thinking to do. By nature he is a
"Modern Conservative" who likes to retain and reform rather than a
left winger who prefers to destroy and rebuild on the ruins. A
survey of the situation showed that he had many assets. Malaya was
wealthy; the standard of living was the highest in Asia; the
public service was honest and efficient; schools, hospitals, communications
were good; there had been no violent struggle for
Merdeka and he had no generals and strong-arm types clamouring
for the rewards of place, power and profit in the new set-up.
His liabilities were heavy. The nine year old emergency remained
and the psychological side, the battle for the hearts and minds
of the people had to be re-inspired. The toughest of all the problems
was that Malaya is a plural society. Lesser but still weighty
questions came from the change over to a modern welfare state.
Staffing the new departments, Social Welfare, Trades Unions,
Broadcasting, Public Relations, Provident Fund, etc.etc. was far
from easy. Defence forces had to be demobilised. The population
explosion and the influx of country people to the town demanded
the palliative of industrialisation. Rural areas lagged behind and
had to be wakened from the sleep of centuries. Outside Malayan
borders were some powerful nations which might become illdisposed
and covetous.